SACRAMENTO - The California Democratic Party (CADEM) is excited to welcome longtime political strategist Melanie V. Ramil as its new Deputy Executive Director. A seasoned strategist and self-described “relentless idealist,” Melanie brings two decades of experience across the nonprofit, political, and public sectors.

“Melanie has a deep commitment to justice and unwavering service to community,” said CADEM Chair Rusty Hicks. “We are thrilled to welcome her to the CADEM team, and we look forward to relying on her depth of experience as we work to take back the House of Representatives in 2026 and fight for a future where justice, opportunity, and democracy belong to everyone.”

Melanie has been serving in an advisory role for the California Democratic Party for the past six months, including serving in a strategic planning role and leading Camp CADEM at the recent statewide convention in Anaheim. 

Prior to working at CADEM, Melanie served on the Harris-Walz campaign as California Deputy State Director. She also previously served as the Deputy State Director for U.S. Senator Kamala Harris, and helped build a deep bench of Democratic women to run for office as Emerge California Executive Director. 

“Melanie is a true collaborator and brings a fresh perspective to our work,” said Yvette Martinez, Executive Director of CADEM. “As we build out our team with talented people, Melanie will help us lead the charge on organizing across the state and defending our Democratic values.”